Nox shook with the effort to force himself to the ground. The cop stepped over him, holstered his gun, and took out his cuffs. The second officer gave Luca the same orders.
Cold steel closed on Nox’s wrists. The Anubis vibrated under his skin.Back off, he’s safe. Luca is safe.
The cop with Luca handcuffed him. His frightened gaze flicked up.
Static raked through Nox’s muscles. He shut his eyes. If he didn’t look at Luca, maybe the Anubis would believe the lie.
“Stand up,” said the officer with Luca. There was a shuffle of feet. “On your feet now.”
“I’m trying.”
Fear threatened to trickle in.
Calm, Luca, for god’s sake calm.
An impatient breath huffed.
A bite of pain echoed through Nox’s arm as if it were him the officer had grabbed. Luca yelped.
Nox opened his eyes. Everything played in silver hues. Particles glowed, following the movement of the two officers. Coffee, leather, detergent, sweat: the scents rose to a blinding level.
Control. Control. Control.
The cop holding Luca turned him too fast, and he stumbled. Aggression flowed in, mixing with the other smells clinging to the officer’s skin.
Power rushed through Nox’s limbs.
Luca locked his gaze with Nox, and for a moment, the Anubis stalled. Then the cop shoved Luca toward the patrol car and he went to his knees.
Nox roared, surging off the ground in a ripple of strength. The metal cuffs sliced into his flesh, gouged tendons, and bone. He yanked his arms, snapping the metal chain holding his hands behind his back. The Anubis burned a path to the surface of his skin, dotting his arms, ready to emerge.
Ready to bleed these pathetic, worthless beings.
“No!”
That one word jerked Nox to a halt. But the two men with their fingers on the triggers of their guns weren’t as quick to respond.
*****
A series of thoughts that were not Luca’s rode on a tsunami of unbridled rage, born of a creature not of this world. The presence of the Anubis rippled through the space between him and Nox. Its thoughts pummeling Luca with violence.
The Anubis would protect Luca. It would protect him at any cost. It would rip these men limb from limb. Open their soft bellies. Devour their flesh.
And it would enjoy it.
“No!” Luca’s scream bounced off the rocky hillside.
Nox froze midstep, every muscle tense, his lips drawn up, teeth bared.
The pop-pop-pop destroyed the sudden silence. Nox jerked in rapid succession. Even with the muzzle flashes, it took Luca a moment to realize the dark spots growing on Nox’s chest was not the Anubis.
Nox’s knees folded, his gaze remained fixed on Luca, breaking as Nox fell forward. Larger exit wounds marred his back, craters leaking blood and boiling with air escaping from his lungs.
The cops barked orders into their shoulder coms.
Nox didn’t move.
Luca was pulled to his feet and hauled over to the police car.